Readings for Ceremony
I found this list of scriptures off of a website and thought it may be helpful:
Scripture passages to consider
Genesis 2:18-24 - Eve brought to Adam
Ruth 1:16-17 - Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi
Psalm 121 - "I lift up my eyes to the hills…"
Psalm 127 - "Unless the Lord builds the house…"
Psalm 128 - The blessing of a large family
Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 - "Two are better than one…"
Song 2:10-13 - The season of love
Song 8:6-7 - "Many waters cannot quench love…"
Isaiah 61:1-4 - "…to bestow on them a crown of beauty…"
Malachi 2:15-16 - Warning not to break faith in marriage
Matthew 19:4-6 - Jesus’ restatement of Genesis 2:24
John 2:1-11 - The wedding and miracle at Cana
Romans 12:9-13 - Guidelines for loving one another
1 Corinthians 13 - The love chapter
Ephesians 5:18-33 - Paul’s teaching on marriage
Philippians 2:1-11 - Assuming the humble attitude of Christ
Colossians 3:12-14 - Qualities of Christian relationships
2 Peter 1:5-8 - "…add to your faith goodness, etc."
1 John 4:7-12 - "Let us love one another…"
We will have one of my favorite readings done by my cousin Rachel:
"The Art of a Good Marriage" by Wilferd Arlan Petersen
Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.
A good marriage must be created.
In marriage the little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is at no time taking the other for granted;
the courtship should not end
with the honeymoon, it should continue through the years.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice,
but in the spirit of joy. It is speaking words of appreciation
and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not looking for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience,
understanding and a sense of humor.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow old.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal,
dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.
Write before the declaration of intent the officiant will read "Union" by Robert Fulghum:
You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks - all those sentences that began with “When we’re married” and continued with “I will and you will and we will”- those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe”- and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “ You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed- well, I meant it all, every word.” Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another- acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this- is my husband, this- is my wife.
Scripture passages to consider
Genesis 2:18-24 - Eve brought to Adam
Ruth 1:16-17 - Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi
Psalm 121 - "I lift up my eyes to the hills…"
Psalm 127 - "Unless the Lord builds the house…"
Psalm 128 - The blessing of a large family
Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 - "Two are better than one…"
Song 2:10-13 - The season of love
Song 8:6-7 - "Many waters cannot quench love…"
Isaiah 61:1-4 - "…to bestow on them a crown of beauty…"
Malachi 2:15-16 - Warning not to break faith in marriage
Matthew 19:4-6 - Jesus’ restatement of Genesis 2:24
John 2:1-11 - The wedding and miracle at Cana
Romans 12:9-13 - Guidelines for loving one another
1 Corinthians 13 - The love chapter
Ephesians 5:18-33 - Paul’s teaching on marriage
Philippians 2:1-11 - Assuming the humble attitude of Christ
Colossians 3:12-14 - Qualities of Christian relationships
2 Peter 1:5-8 - "…add to your faith goodness, etc."
1 John 4:7-12 - "Let us love one another…"
We will have one of my favorite readings done by my cousin Rachel:
"The Art of a Good Marriage" by Wilferd Arlan Petersen
Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.
A good marriage must be created.
In marriage the little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is at no time taking the other for granted;
the courtship should not end
with the honeymoon, it should continue through the years.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice,
but in the spirit of joy. It is speaking words of appreciation
and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not looking for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience,
understanding and a sense of humor.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow old.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal,
dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.
Write before the declaration of intent the officiant will read "Union" by Robert Fulghum:
You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks - all those sentences that began with “When we’re married” and continued with “I will and you will and we will”- those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe”- and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “ You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed- well, I meant it all, every word.” Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another- acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this- is my husband, this- is my wife.
